The Perm

A permanent wave, commonly called a perm, is the chemical treatment of hair to make curls. In cosmetology, it is termed a type of curl reformation. A perm will do nothing more than give the hair some volume, direct it in a certain way or prevent it from making a parting when not required. Perming is a fantastic way to add everything from body to true curls to straight hair. A perm gives an easy wash-and-wear hairstyle, free from the hassles of setting, blow-drying, and curling irons.

Making straight hair curly is not a new hairstyle idea. Women in ancient Egypt coated their hair in mud, wound it around wooden rods and then used the heat from the sun to create the curls. Waves that won't wash out are a more recent innovation. In 1938, Arnold F. Willatt invented the ‘cold permanent wave’, the precursor to the modern perm. It used no machines and no heat. The hair was wrapped on rods and a reduction lotion containing ammonium thioglycolate was applied. Since then, improved formulations and ever more sophisticated techniques have made perm the most versatile option in hairstyle.

Today, perms can be fine-tuned to give you exactly the kind of wave you want. You can get perms that just add body to fine, limp hair, you can get loose, sexy waves or you can go for the corkscrew curls that many straight-haired girls covet (and some curly-all-their-lives girls are sick of). A perm needs a bit of extra hair care. Keeping hair well conditioned and moisturized is crucial. Very thin or fine hair types must be permed with extreme care to prevent hair damage. Very straight hair types and coarse hair types are found resistant to perms – stubborn about taking a curl and likely to need frequent perming to maintain hair's new texture and curl.

Types of Perms

Any of three basic types of perm given below can be used with different techniques to produce a number of results.

Acid Perm: Highly conditioned flexible curls can be produced through acid perms. They are ideally suited to hair that is fine, sensitive, fragile, damaged or tinted as they have a mildly acidic action that minimizes the risk of hair damage.

Alkaline Perm: This kind of perm is known to give strong, firm curl result on normal and resistant hair.

Exothermic Perm: This particular perm gives bouncy, resilient curls. ‘Exothermic’ refers to the gentle heat that is produced by the chemical reaction that occurs when the lotion is mixed. The heat allows the lotion to penetrate the hair cuticle, conditioning and strengthening the hair from inside as the lotion moulds the hair into its new shape.

Perming in a Salon:
Perming is such a delicate operation that it should be left in the hands of experienced, professional hairdressers. There are several advantages of having hair permed in a salon. The hair is first analyzed to see whether it is in fit condition to take a perm; colored, out-of-condition, or over-processed hair may not be suitable. With a professional perm there is also a greater choice in the type of curl – different strengths of lotion and different winding techniques all give a range of curls that are not possible with home perm.

Perming at Home:
If you still like to get your hair permed at home then you must you read and follow the instructions supplied with the product carefully. Remember to do a test curl to check whether your hair is suitable and check to make certain you have enough curlers. You will probably want to enlist the help of a friend, as it's impossible to curl the back sections of your own hair properly, so you will need someone to assist. As timing is crucial, don't get hurry to remove the lotion before the given time or better leave it on longer than directed.